My email to M&S

[WomanBornNotWorn]

I am writing to protest about the M&S decision to “allow customers to use the fitting room they feel comfortable to use in respect of how they identify themselves”.

In your changing rooms, women and girls are vulnerable, both physically and emotionally.

We talk about puberty, pregnancy and mastectomy.

We deal with distressing body image, self doubt and comparisons with idealised images.

We are undressed - and most of us have never learned to defend ourselves.

Women and girls are entitled to safety, dignity and privacy because of the unique vulnerabilities of our sex, and the Equality Act 2010 allows you to accommodate our needs.

But now you announce that men can get into our space if they feel like it.

That's not the language you've used - but it's what you've done.

Did you ask your women and girl customers and staff what we wanted?

Your changing rooms will no longer be a safe space.

'Locked cubicles'? Hidden cameras stream spy porn over the internet. Google 'molka' for evidence.

'Separate partitions'? Hands with phone cameras appear under and over partitions, and curtains can be pulled back.

Allowing this loophole is an open invitation to predatory men to get in, claiming they identify as women.

Your poor untrained and unsupported staff will not be able to do a thing about it.

But unless you change to a practical, considerate solution giving women our rights to privacy, discretion and dignity - and men who say they identify as women a separate space, as Center Parcs have achieved - your customers will.

You have no idea how many women and girls have suffered from predatory male behaviour - yet you are making it easier for it to happen.

This is not just a sexist, dangerous PR disaster.

It's an M&S sexist, dangerous PR disaster.

I started off with a few of my own points then c&p the woman's place email, so it wouldn't be immediately obvious it was the same. I agree with everything they said, so I thought it was worth including it.

Their reply:

On 4 November 2019 10:26:22 GMT, M&S Executive Office wrote:

Good Morning xxxxx

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

As a business, we strive to be inclusive and therefore, we allow customers the choice of which fitting room they feel comfortable to use, in respect of how they identify themselves. This is an approach other retailers and leisure facilities have also adopted.

We understand your concerns and I want to make it clear that if any customer was to act inappropriately or cause intentional offence, the necessary action would be taken.

Thank you again for your email.

Kind regards

Liz Coady

Executive Team
Your M&S Customer Service

Registered office: Waterside House, 35 North Wharf Road, London, W2 1NW
Registered Number: 214436 (England and Wales)

---

My reply:

Dear Ms Coady

Thank you for your reply.

You say 'I want to make it clear that if any customer was to act inappropriately or cause intentional offence, the necessary action would be taken.'

What this means is that women and girls have to take all the risk - until an offence happens.

Only then will you react.

Why are you not continuing to be proactive and understand that the reason women only facilities were introduced in the first place is that women and girls are at risk from male behaviour?

Why must it take an incident before you safeguard your customers?

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/sexual-assault-unisex-changing-rooms-sunday-times-women-risk-a8519086.html

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/30/mixed-sexed-wards-endanger-and-humiliate-women

Yours sincerely

“Ps: change your “Porn Star Martini” to “Passionfruit Martini” whilst you’re at it”.

God that's a weak response, good to have got one but it's just dismissing the issue.

Basically harm needs to be caused, what about discomfort or feeling unsafe? Does an M&S customer need to be raped in the changing rooms before they act?

Appalling.

Why do stores come up with 'We are inclusive. Our customers aŕe free to use whichever facility makes them comfortable?'

What about those (women) who are not comfortable with men being allowed in a female space? Are women customers not valued? M&S was, predominantly, a shop for women's clothing. I think M&S have done themselves no favours. If they have to rely on men to shop there they'll be gone soon. Their women's range is dire at the moment anyway

We talk about puberty, pregnancy and mastectomy
Do women really do that regularly in M&S changing rooms?

Their reply is anti-woman 101.

"If something bad happens, just report it".

Well, we women know full well how it goes when you "just report" a voyeurism, an upskirt shot, an assault, a rape.
We know full well.
Fuck all, is what.

Basically, thanks. Instead of upholding our rights in law to women-only spaces for the purpose of our dignity and safety, you're ignoring the law and expecting us to just put up with the collateral damage of increased risk of crimes against women.

Well done M&S Another boycott-ee here.

M&S are being inclusive of men but exclusive of women. Who spends more in there I wonder...

I put this on the other thread. I've emailed CEOs before when all other avenues have led to dead ends. Hope the email address is correct. He needs to know what his staff are up to on social media (pissing off customers raising concerns) and the storm brewing in the MSM and online. (I agree everyone should use their own voice.)

From the website CEOemail.com:
_
Marks & Spencer Group Plc

Mr Steve Rowe Chief Executive

Email [email protected]

"Do women really do that regularly in M&S changing rooms?"

If they're getting fitted for a bra, yes is the answer.

As a business, we strive to be inclusive and therefore, we allow customers the choice of which fitting room they feel comfortable to use, in respect of how they identify themselves.

So men have the choice of using the women's changing room if that makes them "comfortable", but women do not have the choice of a women-only changing room even though that would make them more comfortable than having to share with men. It appears choice is only for men.

The police told me my ex husband would have to batter me on more than one occasion for it to be a police matter

They also refused to even attempt any kind of sanction for him sexually abusing a child apart from saying he had done it before and not been prosecuted then either

We talk about puberty, pregnancy and mastectomy
Do women really do that regularly in M&S changing rooms?

Yup, for bras. All important subjects in the womens section change rooms.
Pretty sure the NHS had a hand in training for mastectomy bras too.

Ah, yes, during bra fitting. I was thinking, while trying on jeans or something.

I saw on Twitter that M&S bought 50% of shares in Ocado!

Ocado are another Mumsnet boycott company over the Woman=Adult human female debacle!

What a pairing!

We understand your concerns and I want to make it clear that if any customer was to act inappropriately or cause intentional offence, the necessary action would be taken.

This is there get out right here cause intentional offence if a man goes there and does something wrong he can just say it wasnt intentional it was an accident they took it the wrong way they are transphobic etc etc etc

Apologies if this has been shared already. I cannot access the full article, but

^Struggling Marks & Spencer has reduced its communications team amid a cost-cutting drive to revive the company’s fortunes.

The retailer quietly made at least nine people redundant after an overhaul of its communications team in July. The move follows a string of oustings and resignations, including finance chief Humphrey Singer and Gordon Mowat, clothing and home supply chain director.^

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/11/04/ailing-marks-spencer-sacks-chunk-communications-team-clothes/

I worked in a place that had its very own stalker. We ended up having double security doors and a peephole because he would come up to the office and be completely obnoxious and threatening. He had a thing about women and was rather scary.

Anyway - we spoke to the police, doctors, the hospital that he was a patient at (in general terms of course) and we were told time and time again that ‘they’ could only ‘do something’ if he actually committed a crime (ie. lay hands on someone) so threats and intimidation were fine then.

Just occurred to me - I wonder if M&S routinely left all its store doors wide open overnight, waiting until stock got stolen before they established a policy of shutting and locking - no, thought not ...

Good point Woman. I'm sure some people (thieves) would be more comfortable were they to leave their stores unlocked. They could always "take necessary action" if someone were to behave 'inappropriately' and steal stuff, after all.